what purpose to put up Petition which we cannot hope shall bâ— granted Answ 1. As to the impossibility of attainning this Know that things are impossible either 1. Absolutely and as to any power whether finite or infinite so it is impossible for God to lie for a thing to be and not to be at the same time for a body to be in two places at once c. Now such a thing to pray for would be but a tempting or mocking God but the thing in the Petition is not impossible in this sense 2. Or in some respect as for man in his own strength to obey the Law of God in its exactness but not if God communicate grace proportionable For Adam in innocency had this ability and so Christ as to his humanity Now things of this sort may be both prayed for and endeavoured after Phil. 3. 11. Paul's endeavour was if by any means to attain to the resurrection of the dead that is as I conceive to that perfection which then he hoped for yet hee could not attain it while on earth We may make that our aime which in the perfection of it may be our attainment But Secondly I conceive the Petition rather respects the manner than the measure of our obedience that wee may in our measure imitate the holy Angels As in Scripture notes quality and likeness oftentimes not equality as Matth. 5. ult 1 John 3. 3. where even as notes imitation and similitude not that wee should or can be equall to God in perfection and purity so that the sense of this Petition is clear and obvious The Doctrinal proposition is this Doctr. 8 That Gods will may be done on Earth as in Heaven ought to be the destre and prayer of all and every Christian Wee must imitate our Lord and Saviour who hath taught us not only by word here but by his owne example Matth. 26. 39 42. and to say as old Eli 1 Sam. 3. 18. And this not as too many do feignedly or inconsiderately but with the greatest seriousness and intenseness of affection Reas 1 In reference to both the former Petitions Then is God glorified and his Kingdom exalted when ready chearfull and universal obedience and submâ—ssion to his Will is yielded by all his creatures Obedience is the homage wee owe to his Kingdom and the honour due to his name it is not a verball celebration of Gods excellencies that is the All or principall part of his glory if in word wee prosess to honour him and in works deny him wee do but mock God and deceive our own souls No then Tit. 1. 15. wee glorisy our heavenly Father when our works shine before others Matth. 5. 16. when wee bring forth much fruit John 15. 8. Phil. 2. 16. Nor is it a titular acknowledgment of Gods Kingdom but a real submission to it in doing what hee commands and submitting to what hee lays upon us wherein our Duty to him principally consists this Petition then is the compleating of both the former 2. Gods Will is the suprem rule of equity justice mercy and all goodness This considered there is Reason sufficient why wee should pray for ability to doe it for this is the totum hominis the whole Duty of man to God to himself and to others Eccles 12. 13. Wee could not in fewer words express more as to our duty than in these God's Will being the Regula regulans the rule of the Law it self It is a good expression of Augustine Injuria fit Deo cum causam voluntate Dei superiorem postulamus Wee injure God when wee inquire after a cause superiour or antecedent to his Will for consider Gods Will to speak of it according to our capacity very much differs from Mins will Ours is a blind but heady faculty depending upon the guidance and dictate of a finite and fallible understanding But in God it is his very Essence considered as inclined and carried out to himself as the principall good and to all other good in subordination to himself not corrupted by a blind and dark understanding but guided by infinite wisdom the Will and Wisdom of God being not two distinct qualities in God but only divers inadequate considerations of the divine Essence nor in it self subject to headiness or mutability So that Gods will being such and we being his by the most absolute title 't is fit wee should both make it our Rule and desire grace to obey it 1. Which hath bin hinted In regard of Gods absolute Soveraignty over us since as wee acknowledg in the former Petition his absolute Dominion Is it not fit we should next pray for grace to yield cordiall submission Each of the fore-going Petitions nay the very Preface bespeaks this from us for If hee bee Our Father wee should bo subject to his Will and pleasure But 4. Because upon our doing or not doing his Will depends our eternal happiness or misery Obedience is the only dore into heaven and Disobedience is the black character of the Sons of perdition Eph. 2. 2. and 5. 6 7. 2 Thess 1. 7. Matth. 7. 21. To do the Will of God speaks our Relation to Christ Mark 3. ult By doing the Will of God I mean here obâ—dience to the Gospel as well as to the Law for as it is 1 John 3. 23. This is the command of God that wee beleeve on his Son Jesus Christ And herein the decretive and preceptive Will of God concurr I mean that hee that doth the one shall be rewarded by the other See John 6. 29. This is the work of God that ye beleeve on him whom hee hath sent this is his will of Precept then Verse 40. This is the will of him that sent mee that every one which seeth the Son and beleeveth on him may have everlasting life This is his Will of Purpose So that by doing the one wee come to the good things determined by the other Again suob as do Gods Will hee hears John 9. 31. Such abide for ever 1 John 2. 17. So that you see it is the main Interest of man to do and his concernment to pray that hee may do the will of God Use Pray this prayer Make this your hearty Petition and imitate the pattern here prescribed you You see how much your Interest and duty lies in it do I need to adde more Consider two things that may excite and quicken you to be frequent and servent in this Petition Motiv 1. Gods will must be done whether you pray for it or no but to pray heartily that it may be done is no small evidence of a gracious frame of Spirit Gods will may be done by us as it was by the Jews and Herod and Pilate Act. 4. 28. and by Cyrus Isa 44. 28. yet wee be no better than vile Sinners or brute instruments and it may be done upon us as upon Pharoah and others yet for our punishment and condemnation But condially to desire and pray in the sense
the old Testament 2. Command of the new Testament p. 224. Reas 1. Because our Interest must not be titular but reall 2. Christ's merit is the foundation of our acceptance pag. 225 -227. Use 1. Be humbled for neglect of Christ Evinced to be the sin of many 1. From their notorious ignorance of Christ 2. Their palpable Vnbelief 3. Their Pharasaism and self-confidence p. 227 -230. Use 2. Bring Christ with us To which purpose 1. See that our Faith be right 2. In exercise 3. That our persons and performances he suitable to such a Mediatour pag. 230 -232. Doctr. God must be prayed to as our common Father p. 232. which imports as se many Reasons â—eas 1. A distinction of God from an excellency above all earthly Parents 2. Our membership in that body which is spiritually begotten 3. Chiefly in which sense it is prosecuted the Vnion of hearts and Communion of prayers amongst all Gods children p. 233 234. Use 1. It blames our privatespiritedness p. 234. Use 2. Pray for others Vrged by Motives 1. Nothing is a better evidence of our reall membership 2. 'T is singularly advantagious pag. 235 236. CHAP. III. 5. Doctr. IN our addresses to God by prayer we must come to him as in Heaven p. 237. there more gloriously p. 237 238. Explained 1. Not as if he were confined there 2. Nor as if he must locally descend thence 3. But us manifesting himself Reas 1. To distinguish God from Idols 2. To beget reverence in our hearts 3. To take us off gross and Idolatrous conceptions of God 4. To strengthen our Faith 5. To mind us that the heart must chiefly pray 6. To mind us what thingr are chiefly to be askt p. 239. Use 1. See what self-debaseing God-exalting apprehensions become us in prayer p. 240. Use 2. See how heavenly-minded we should be in that Duty p. 241. Use 3. Then all places are alike near to God p. 242. Use 4. Then make heavenly things our first and chief requests p. 243 244. CHAP. IV. I. PETITION p. 245. 6. GEneral Rules about the Petitions 1. The Petitions naturally divide themselves into two Tables Whence three things 2. Every Petition implies an acknowledgment of something 3. Every Petition includes together with the good thing asked the means thereto deprecates the impediments and bindes us to endeavour c. 4. What we beg for our selves we are also to beg for others respectively 5. Vnder one kind all the like is signified 6. All necessaries are reducible to these Petitions pag. 245 -248. The Petitions explained Name for 1. God himself 2. What notifies or distinguishes him 3. His glory 4. Whereby he is known p. 249 -256. Hallowed or Sanctified Man is said to Sanctify God is said to Sanctify God is said to Sanctify Man is said to Sanctify Himself or others Man These Two are here meant p. 251 252. Himself God Doctr. The glorifying or sanctifying of Gods Name should be our Chief Petition in our addresses to God p. 253. Quest 1. Is it necessary that it be alwayes first Answ 1. The glory of God should alwayes sit highest in our hearts and all our Petitions should be directed to it 2. Ordinary that which is highest in our intentions should be first in our Petitions p. 255 -256. Quest 2. What necessity of such a Petition 1. To testify our desire of it 2. 'T is our concernment 3. Vpon it depends our happiness p. 255 156 Reas 1. This is the highest end of our Creation 2. This sanctifies all the rest 3. 'T is fit we should prefer God before our selves p. 257 258 Use Labour to direct our prayers according tâ— this Pattern p. 258 Mot. 1. We cannot lightly ask amisse then 2. Nor miss of what we ask 3. Not tâ— do it is reall Idolatry p. 159 260 Direct I. Labour to understand what 's implyâ—â— in this Petition p. 260. And that 1. By way of all acknowledgment 1. Thaâ— God is in himself infinitely glorious 2. That it is our duty to glorify him 3. That we are unable to do it of our selves p. 260 -263. 2. By way of Petition 1. That God would glorify himself by Removing Impediments where Three particulars Administring occasions c. 2. That we and others may glorify him where Impediments to be deprecated Helps and enablements to be beg'd pag. 271 -274. Direct II. Endeavour that the frame of our hearts be suited to the matter of this Petition In Three particulars pag. p. 271 -274. CHAP. V. II. PETITION p. 274. THe Order and Relation of it to the foregoing and following Explic. 1. Kingdom of God General over the world Special over his Church 1. Inchoate in this life 2. Consummate in heaven Called the Kingdom of Grace and Glory p. 272 -279. 2. Come i. e. In it's effects and manifestations p. 279 280. Doctr. The coming of Gods Kingdom should be the Petition of the Church and every member thereof pag. 280. Quest 1. To what purpose such a Petition 1. To Jestify our love to God 2. In Obedience to his command p. 281. Reas 1. In order to the fulfilling of the first Petition 2. The advantage that will accrue to us and our inahility c. p. 282. Use Pray accordingly pag. 283. Mot. 1. 'T is highly advantagious 2. Then 't will come to our comfort 3. 'T is the summe of what we can desire p. 283 -286 Direct I. as in all Vnderstand what 's implyed or included in this Petition pag. 286. 1. By way of acknowledgment 1. That God is absolute Soveraign of the world 2. That we are not naturally in the Kingdom of God 3. That all means are ineffectual to promote God's Kingdom except he concurre c. p. 286 -289. 2. By way of Petition 1. Privative Impediments to be removed viz. Sathan's Kingdom in 3. Particulars p. 289 -293. 2. Positive 1. As to the Kingdom of Gods power or Providence in two Particulars pag. 293. 2. As to the Kingdom of grace 1. The means of it where three Particulars 2. The efficacy of the means 3. The amplification and spreading of those means p. 294 -299. 3. As to the Kingdom of glory in three Particulars p. 299. Direct II. Get a frame of heart suitable to the Petition in two Particulars pag. 300 301. CHAP. VI. III. PETITION p. 302. THe Order and Connexion of it Expli 1. Will of God Decretive his will of Purpose what he will do Preceptive What he commands us to do Both here meant chiefly the latter p. 303 304 305. 2. Be done 3. On Earth c. pag. 305 306. Object To what purpose to pray for such a degree of Obediential grace Answered two wayes p. 306 307. Doctr. That Gods will may be done on Earth as in Heaven ought to be the desire and prayer of every Christian p. 308. Reasons four p. 308 310. Use Pray thus A two fold Motive p. 311. Direct I. Understand 1. What 's Acknowledg'd here In two Particulars pag. 312 -314. 2. What 's
as to concern their prayers in their Brethrens necessities A duty practised by all the genuine children of God See Psalm 25. ult and 51. ult and 122. 6 7 8. and 137. 5. Neh. 1. 4 5. Isa 62. 1 7. Ephes 1. 16. 1 Thess 1. 2. Phil. 4. c. Col. 2. 1 2. And lest you should think that this is only the duty of publick officers as Paul was the injunction is upon all and for all Eph. 6. 18. Use 1 This blame our private-Spiritedness especially in our single addresses to God are not our private approaches to the Throne of grace too private in this respect how little doe wee interest others especially the community of the faithfull in our prayers how unbeseeming Saints is this narrow-spiritedness Our prayers should be like the Sun whose beames and influences are universally communicated or rather wee should be like our heavenly Father who causes his Sun to shine Matth. 5. 47. how seldom doe wee say Our Father with any Enlargement of heart towards others nay so far wee are I feare from remembring the common concernments of the Church that wee are too little mindfull of our Relations families Neighbourhood Christians this is not a right Gospel Spirit wee follow not our pattern when wee thus confine our devotions 2. Let us therefore put on bowels of Brotherly tenderness and compassion that wee may put up hearty prayers for others for all the Saints the way to attaine this generall Spiritedness is to look more at the grand concernments of Gods name and honor then will our prayers be more publick when wee prefer the glory of God which is chiefly bound up in the publick concernments of his Church before our owne welfare To put you upon getting this frame consider 1. Nothing is a better evidence of your reall membership in the Church 't is naturall to the members of the Spirituall body to 1 Cor. 1â— 25. 2 Cor. 1â— 28. have the same care one for another Herein Paul prooved himself a lively member by his care of all the Churches and where this care is it will vent it self as Pauls did in earnest prayers for the whole Churche's welfare 2. Consider how advantagious this is how infinitly your charity will be multiplyed in its returns upon you by thus putting our prayers into the common stock wee become interested in the common stock and this is indeed a singular benefit flowing from that Article of the Communion of Saints hereby all the Saints are our Factors as wee are theirs and Oh what a thriving trade may be driven by thus making our prayers a common stock Qu. But must wee pray for none but those of whom wee have ground to hope that God is their Father Answ For these wee must especially pray yet for others also that God may be their Father for wee know not what is in the womb of Gods decrees towards those that are yet vile and profligate Sinners Our Saviour prayes not only for those that did but also for those that should beleeve on his name John 17. 20. The Church must travell in birth of those that are yet unborn even for unconverted nations for Sisters that have no breasts Cant. 8. 8. But so that a difference be made in our prayers for them and the faithfull and our petitions suited to their condition CHAP. III. Which art in Heaven WEe have heard something spoken to the first part of the Preface wherein God is described by his Relation to us I proceed to the second part which describes him by his Eminency above us and this is by the designation of the place where hee eminently shews himself I shall not unnecessarily enlarge but keep mee within the bounds of my intended brevity and my eye upon the mark I first proposed viz. to teach you to pray Take what I shall say to this in this single Observation Doctr. 5 In our addresses to God by prayer wee must come to him as in heaven our addresses to God must be directed thither This Salâ—mon minds us of as a Curb to rashness and vain-babling Eccles 5. 2. and hither good Jehoshaphat directs his prayer 2 Chron. 20. 6. 'T is needless to multiply Scripture-proofs rather let us explaine How wee are to conceive God to be in heaven And then give Reasons of the point Explic. And 1. we are not to goe to as God if confined or locally circumscribed in heaven 'T is a piece of Atheisme to limit God there Joh 22. 12 13 14. To suppose God confined within the circuit of heaven and not to regard what is done on earth is the next way to become an Atheist There 's little difference betwixt no God at all and a God so limited nor Secondly Are wee to imagine which would follow upon the former that God must locally descend from heaven when hee heares or gives answer to our prayers his being in heaven doth not nor must is in our conceptions of him suppose him at a distance from us on earth wee must remember that of David Psam 139. 1 12. that hee is present with us that hee hath beset us behind and before c. that hee is intime nostro intimior nearer us than wee are to our selves And as they sung of old hee is extra caelum non exclusus intra coelum non inclusus that hee is so in heaven as not included and so out of Heaven as not excluded a circle whose center is every where and circumference no where in a word wee are not to frame any conceptions of God from his being in heaven prejudiciall either to his generall presence in all places or to his speciall presence with his people in their addresses to him But Thirdly By his being in heaven wee are to understand that more speciall and glorious manifestation of himself which hee there vouchsafes to the Angels and glorified Spirits the more immediate exhibitions and discoveries of his glory such as none but they enjoy in this sense hee is said to 1 Tim. 6. 16. dwell in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see So that in this sense wee are to call upon God as in Heaven And this Reas 1 1. To distinguish God from and declare his eminency above all other false Gods and dunghill-deities which are on earth and confined to their places whence they cannot moove 2. For it is sufficient to name these things To beget in our hearts awfull and reverentiall apprehensions of the divine Majesty the place speaks his sublimity and he speaks in us humility This is the Emphasis of that Scripture Eccl. 5. 2. God is in heaven and thou art on earth therefore let thy words be few q. d. Speake with that reverence as becomes his eminency and thy distance 3. To take off our thoughts from the gross Idolatrous conceptions of a visible deity such as the Heathens fancied and from the carnall Jews conceit of Gods confining himself to a place as
their Temple or the Mountaine of Samaria 4. To corroborate our faith and raise up our hearts in expectation of Gods fulfilling our petitions since Gods being in heaven imports his power and Soveraignty his alseeing eye and all disposing hand this the Psalmist makes the foundation of his confidence against the scornfull scoffes and malicious contrivances of the wicked and the very foundation of humane help razed Psal 11. 1 5. Verse 4. The Lord is in his holy Temple The Lords throne is in heaven 5. To hint to us that it is not the extension of the voice but the intension of the heart that must reach God That right prayer is not meerly the lifting up the hands or exaltation of the voice for how can these reach heaven but the execrcise of faith and others graces That the silent groanes of a devout soul are more prevailing than the loudest heartless exclamations 6. To put us in mind what things are chiefly to be asked viz. heavenly as if wee send for any thing to a friend in a far Countrey wee will desire such as the Countrey affords This title of God serves as a directory or a prompter to teach us what to ask in the first place and to curb us in our petitions for inferiour and earthly things Use 1 Learn hence what self-debasing and God exalting apprehensions become us in prayer Wee cannot have apprehensions too low of our selves nor high enough of God Sauciness ill becomes us earth-worms towards the Majesty of heaven the Conceptions of Gods highness should lay us low the Moon and Sâ—arrs disappear when the Sun arises Man drawing nigh God in way of Communion should as the Moon in conjunction with the Sun lose his own light strip himself naked of all his excellencies Gods perfections are a looking glass wherein wee may best discover our owne imperfections Oh then when wee approach Gods presence let us remember wee come to him who is in heaven Away then with all proud thoughts and self-admiring reflections pull down your plumes put your mouths in the dust This is the genuine frame of the Saints Less Gen. 32. 10. Psam 22. Isa 6. 5. then the least of all thy mercies saith Jacob A worme and no wan saith David Woe is mee I am undone a man of polluted lips and mine eys have seen the Lord of Hosts saith Isaiah High apprehensions of God and humble conceptions of our selves are a suitable frame to bring to God in prayer 2. Must wee make our addresses to God as in heaven what have wee then to doe with the world when wee draw nigh to God Doe carnal earthly sensual hearts become his presence who is in heaven Wee should as Abraham leave the Servants and the Asse at the bottom of the hill when wee goe up to converse with God in the Mount Sursum corda is a suitable memento for a Soul drawing nigh God Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. It is not enough to leave our wicked but wee must lay aside our worldly thoughts Else wee bring Idols in our hearts and God will answer us accordingly Ezek. 14. 3 4. Thy soul must be upon its wing must soar above these terrene vanities else thy Soloecism will be greater then his who cryed out O Jupiter or O heaven and yet pointed with his finger to the earth 'T is a contradiction to thy prayers when thou prayest to thy Father in heaven and thy heart lies groveling upon the earth 3. Then all places are alike as to our nearness to God as the Earth is in respect of its situation a center whereof heaven is the circumference and lines from any part of the circumference to the center are of equall length so is it in respect of Gods hearing of our prayers wheresoever wee are wee are at the same distance if I may say distance to God I mean no more but this that as to acceptance with God there is no difference of place hee that is in heaven respects no more one place on earth then another John 4. 21 2â— The time is coming when neither at Jerusalem nor on this Mountain c. q. d. you think God hath a singular respect to your Mountain the Jews have the like conceit of their Temple but the Truth is it is not the place that God respects but the frame of the heart as in every Nation so in every place hee that feareth Acts. 10. 35. God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him It was a gross mistake that dropt from the pen of a Reverend Prelate when out of zeal to publick places of worship he ascribes the success of prayer to the place and tels us that God hears a man non quia precatur sed quiaâ—ibi As 't is not the gift that sanctifies the altar so neither doth the place the prayer The Jews after Christ's time and if I mistake not before also had their Proseuchae places of prayer but were I beleeve far from attributing such a sanctity to them as some now fancy in our publick-places of assembly let us but judge by the place where they had their Proseuchae Acts. 16. 13. out of the City by a Rivers sid it is more than probable that conveniency or necessity or both might prompt to the choise of such a place not any conceit of sanctity in it either before or after Let men ascribe what conveniency or decency they please to the Fabrick of Churches but take heed of imagining in them any sanctity except they will call the peculiar appropriation of them to the service of God sanctity or efficacy to further us in the success of our prayers even then when God had made peculiar promises to a place viz. the Temple yet hee had not confined himself there but if in the field or when carried a far off into their enemies land they should 1 Kings 7. 46 49. there call upon God hee was as able to hear and as ready to help them 'T is a sweet consideration that in all places God is nigh unto us in all that wee call upon him for and that being in heaven hee is equally present to the faithfull in any place on earth 4. Let us then make heavenly things our first and chief requests to God True wee may and this pattern teaches us to ask outwards but limitedly and in Subordination to Spirituals there is but one petition for them and that as wee shall heare many wa◠〈◊〉 bounded besides wee have Gods word for it that upon our seeking heavenly things these shall be cast in as additaments whereby God hath endeavoured to provent our over-sollicitousness about them and to take us off from too much earnestnes in asking them I say not that Gods promise of them should make us less prayerfull for them promises being encouragments of prayer but when God hath promised them upon condition of our more earnest seeking his Kingdom and righteousness hee
though I doe not conceive it alwayes necessary to pray or begin our prayers in these or the like words yet that wee are hereby taught both what to pray for with the greatest intensness viz. things that have a more immediate and infallible tendency to Gods glory as also with what intention to pray for all wee pray for viz. that wee or others may be in a better capacity to glorify God That Text Matth. 6. 33. Seek first c. doth not mainly intend order of time but of dignity first i. e. mainly principally with the greatest earnestness seriousness industry So that the Order of this Petition doth not so much teach us in what order to begin as to what end wee should order and direct our prayers 2. Yet in reason that which should be highest in our intentions should ordinarily be first in our Petitions I say not that it is absolutely necessary that so it should be but surely in Reason that which concerns Gods glory and our spiritual good should have the precedency in an ordinary course That wee give God his glory before wee ask him to give us what makes for our good is very reasonable Though as wee sometimes dispatch smaller buisnesses that mee may be more fit and free for the main so it may not be amiss sometimes to dispatch some Petitions for outwards which may be urgent and pressing upon us that they may not hinder in our more spiritual and more important concernment But this I make not a rule for our ordinary practise but only an expedient in some urgent and extraordinary Cases Quest 2. But what necessity at all of such a Petition since God will see to that himself since hee will infallibly earry on that as his grand design nor can our prayers contribute any thing to it Answ 1. Were it but to testify our desire it were something since that is our great end 1 Cor. 10. 31. Our prayers should express the workings of our hearts towards it nor doth the certainty of Gods effecting any thing supersede our prayers or endeavours about it nay rather if the thing be any way our concernments and within the compass of a promise certainty of the event should edge our prayers indeed wee can pray for nothing absolutely except wee know God will or hath promised to effect it The decrees of God bring-forth upon the knees of prayer when God had bound himself Ezek. 36. 37. by promise for the Jews restauration hee will yet be enquired of that hee may doe it it 's no small evidence of the Truch of grace when our prayers Eccho back Gods promises and when the breathings of our hearts are after the accomplishment of God's grand design in the world 2. But besides 't is our concernment for the sense of the Petition as hath bin hinted is this Lord sanctify thy name and enable us to sanctify it That God shall be gloryfied is certain but that wee may be amongst that number that give him the glory due to his name should be the earnest and most importunate desire of our souls Especially since Thirdly Upon the sanctifying of Gods name by us depends our happiness and indeed to hallow or sanctify the name of God in glory is our very happiness What is our hope or what should be our desire but to be admitted to joyne with the heavenly Quire in singing glory honour and praise to God for ever and ever This is their both work and wages and this is the import of the Petition q. d. Lord enable us so to sanctify thy name on earth that wee may both glorify thee and bee glorified with thee in heaven And who will say This is a needless or frivolous Petition Quest 3. Why is this first in order though wee have partly hinted already yet take this ccount 1. This is the highest end of our Creation and should be of all our actions as hath bin shewd once and again Now the chief end should be first in the intention this is as the Sea out of which all our Petitions should issue and into which they should empty themselves 2. This chiefly intended is as the first-fruits that make the lump holy as the altar that sanctifies the gift when wee have proposed this as our end and praefixt it to our players what ever else wee ask keeping our eye â—xt on this is wel-pleasing to God yea though wee should mistake in the particular God will excuse it If wee ask according to 1 John 5. 14. his will hee heareth us now if wee sincerely intend his glory in our asking wee cannot but in the generall ask according to his will though hee may see good to withold the particular thing wee pray for David designes to build God a house herein proposing 1 Kings â— 18. 2 Sam. 7. 11. to himself the glory of God God approves and rewards this design though hee will not permit David himself to effect his design So that when this is sincerely proposed it facilitates and opens the way for the attainment of other blessings all that wee ask after and in subordination to this shall either be given or denyed in mercy 'T is a grand failure in prayer when wee ask to Jam. 4. 3 waste upon our lusts and 't is a singular excellency when a soul can reflect upon his prayer and say hee hath askt nothing but what hee conceives might tend to the glory of God and might enable him for that end otherwise hee would not have askt it 3. And it is fit wee should prefer God and his grand concernment to our owne Are not wee his Creatures his Servants his Children Should not the Servant gird himself and serve his Master before himself Luk. 17. 8 Should a servant that is wholly maintained by another seek himself in the first place God made us for himself Prov. 16. 4. Rom. 11. ult and therefore wee should make him our principall end That wee first or chiefly pray for Gods glory and the means of it is a duty that results from our Relation to God That wee may afterward ask for our selves is a mercy flowing from Gods condescension and compassion towards us so that wee see There is all the reason in the world why Gods glory should be chief in our intention when wee pray if not alwayes first in our expression Use Now the Use omitting all other is this Labour wee do direct our prayers according to the pattern of this Petition make this ordinarily the first in asking and alwayes the end of what wee aske This should be the primum mobile the spring of all our motions in prayer This is the Term from and to which all our prayers should tend To moove and perswade to this Consider Mot. 1. Wee cannot lightly ask amiss as to particular if wee maâ—â— this our end in general The same Spirit that directs us to this as our end will direct us in asking suitable means to it The arrow that is rightly fixt
mean particular things under this generall I shall reduce what is included by way of Petition to these two general heads 1. Wee are according to this Petition to pray that God will glorify himself that hee will doe that which most tends to his owne glory which wee may doe in the words of the Psalmist Psam 57. 5 11. and As our Savior Joh. 12. 28. Father glorify thy Name 115. 1. and in order to this end that hee will both remove what ever darkens his glory and bring about the things that most tend to the advancement of it Since as you heard in the Propositions premised each Petition implies a deprecation of the hindrances and prayer for what tends to the furtherance of the thing prayed for Now it would be infinite here to summe up all the particular hindrances of or means to advance the glory of God I shall only hint a few generals 1. Then as to the impediments of Gods glory there are three more generall whereby the honour of God is darkned and Ecclipsed in the world which in complyance with this Petition wee must pray against 1. That Idolatry and false Worship which raignes in a great part of the world this is a black cloud that darkens the name of God hereby the glory due to God is given to others and his praise to graven Images Divels and those that are no Gods The host of heaven Angels men bruits stocks and stones c. rob God of his glory Oh how should wee wrestle with God that these Dagon's may fall before his Ark Turn that of the Psalmist Psal 97. 6 7. into prayer Let the heavens declare thy righteousness O Lord and all the people see thy glory Confounded be all they that serve graven Images that boast themselves of Idols Plead the many promises for the conversion Idolatrous nations that they may say with Ephraim Hos 14. 8. What have I to doe any more with Idols that their Idols of Silver and Idols of Gold which they made each one for himself to worship may be cast to the moles and to the bats Isa 2. 20. That hee will turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one consent Zeph. 3. 9. So that there may be one Lord and his name one Zech. 14. 9. And that from the rising of the Sun even unto the goeing down of the same his Mal. 1. 11. name may be great among the Gentiles and in every place incense may be offered to his name and a pure offering and his name may be great among the Heathen 2. The Blasphemy of Gods name occasioned by the wicked's mistakes and misinterpretations of his providences It pleases the Lord often to obscure his way Psam 77. 19. And his providences seem for a time to savour the wicked Psal 73. 3 4 5. Job 21. 8-14 Hence they gather sad conclusions dishourable to God discourageing to the Godly though at last destructive to themselves and hereby Gods glory is for the present much eclipsed when God seemes to savour the wicked and to frown upon his own people when they that work wickedness Mal. 3. 15. are delivered men will call the proud happy Now though nothing is surer then that God will vindicate his honour and wipe off the reproach that is cast upon him yet our part is to mind God of it in the Psalmists words Psam 74. 18 22 23. Remember this that the enemy hath reproached O Lord and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy name Arise O God plead thine owne cause remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily forget not the voice of thine enemies Wee are to pray that God will fill their faces with shame c. Psal 83. 16 18. that hee will sanctify himself upon them That hee will hasten the time when judgment shall return unto righteousness and the upright in heart may Psal 94. 15 follow after it And so order it in his providences that men may be forced to say Verily there is a reward for the righteous verily hee is a God that judgeth in the earth Psalm 58. ult 3. The profaneness atheism impiety and all manner of iniquity that reigns amongst those that professe and call upon his name How doe the vile miscarriages of those that profess themselves worshippers of the true God obscure his glory and make his name to stink amongst Pagans and Idolaters This therefore wee should with all earnestness beseech the Majesty of heaven that all that name his Name may depart from 2 Tim. 2. 19. iniquity That the wickedness of the wicked may in this sense come to an end That there may be no root amongst us that beareth gall and wormwood Deut. 29. 18. That no root of bitterness springing up trouble us and many be defiled Hebr. 12. 15. That no professing Christian may be a professed Atheist a practicall blasphemer of that holy name whereby hee is called Thus for the impediments to be deprecated 2. As to the means whereby God may glorify himself and which wee are to pray for in order thereunto they are infinite nor shall I trouble you with particulars a few Instances may serve Pray wee then that God will discover himself that hee will shine forth and display his glorious attributes to the world Psal 80. 1 2. and 94. 1 2. That hee will make himself known Psal 67. 2 3. That men may know that hee whose name alone is Jehovah is the most High over all the earth for if his Name were known aright it would be glorified Again That hee will take to himself his great power and Rev. 11. 17 Reign That hee so rule all the affairs of the world as that each wheel may move in a direct tendency to his glory Again that the Gospel may be propagated Infidels Heathens Turks Pagans and Idolaters Converted That hee will confound the wicked and make bare his arme in the signall and seasonable deliverances of his Church and people In a word that all the transactions of God in the world may be ordered to the most advantagious way of glorifying his great Name This is the first generall included in this Petition 2. Wee are also according to this Petition to pray that wee and others may be enabled to glorify him that he will frame our hearts to praise him and fill our mouths with his glory That all the creatures may be as a well-turned Instrument harmoniously sounding forth the glory of their Creatour In this sense may wee use that so often quoted Scripture Psal 67. 3 5. and 51. 15. And here also wee may amplify in deprecating hindrances and a begging bilities To touch on each 1. Pray we in complyance with this Petition that God will remove from us and others whatsoever hinders us from paying him that tribute of glory due unto his name for instance that ignorance and blinduesse that Reigns in the world for though it
putting up suitable Petitions 3. More calls out and imployes the soul 4. Is singularly helpful for Edefication 5. Better discovers to a man the present frame of his heart p. 122 123. These things applyed to the Case 1. By a fourfold Distinction 2. Then the direct Answer given p. 124 -128. A Question added viz. What may be done for the attainment of present abilities in prayer p. 128. Answ 1. Acquaint thy self with the Word of God pag. 129. 2. Retire into thy own heart pag. 129 130. 3. Exercise p. 131. 4. Joyn in society with able Christians p. 132. 5. Earnestly beg a serious gracious heart p. 133 134. CHAP. IX THe second Doctrine In two Propositions p. 135. I. Saints usually have the Spirit 's help in Trouble How this to be understood Confirmed by a single argument viz. That the Saints in Trouble have prayed more and more feruently c. Strengthned by a two fold consideration 1. How they prayed 2. How they sped p. 135 -142. II. The Spirit 's help in Prayer is a singular Priviledge and Comfort to God's afflicted Servants p. 142. Reas 1. It carries in it much of Evidence 2. It brings ease 3. Confidence 4. Support 5. Sanctification 6. A happy Issue and deliverance when God sees it good for us p. 142 -149. CHAP. X. BOth Parts of the Doctrine applyed together p. 150. I. To those that want the spirit of prayer and such 1. Who scorne and deride it the sin and folly of these detected ibid. 2. Who care not for it p. 151 152. Where considerations representing their sad condition especially if Trouble come 1. Afflictions come upon such armed with sad Temptations to make them run Either 1. To helpless helps 2. Distressing helps 3. Sinful helps Or 4. To break out into blasphemy c. p. 153 -160. 2. Such ordinarily lose the benefit of affliction p. 160. 3. It 's a probable evidence of a soul in a state of wrath p. 161 162. 4. The whole weight of an affliction lies upon himself p. 163. CHAP. XI 3. SVch as want it at least in their own sense and complian of the want of it p. 164. 1. Supposing they want it there is hope of it's return ibid. 2. It 's to be hoped they do not altogether want it p. 165. For. 1. Whence are those complaints 166. 2. Can they not pray with groans c. p. 167. 3. Have they not some fits of enlargement p. 168 -171. CHAP. XII II. TO those who have experience of this great Priviledge pag. 171. And these 1. Such as are not yet in affliction p. 171. Advised to cherish and make much of the Spirit Considering 1. They may suffer afflictions pag. 172. 2. As they now carry towards the Spirit so will He then carry towards them pag. 173. 3. Supposing they should scape Trouble yet the Spirit 's help is upon other accounts needful p. 175 176. CHAP. XIII 2. Such as being in affliction experience this mercy p. 177. Counselled 1. To improve it to the utmost 1. In begging a blessing upon affliction 2. As an alleviating consideration 3. As a preservative from taking offence at the Cross pag. 178 -180. 2. Not to straiten or slacken their returns of thankfulness for this mercy because of their Troubles p. 181 182. CHAP. XIV 3. SVch as having been in Trouble have enjoyed this mercy p. 183. Exhorted 1. To beg and use the same help in praise which they had in prayer p. 184. 2. To turn this experience into Obedience in point of 1. Ingenuity p. 185. 2. Prudence p. 186. 3. To declare and communicate this experience to others in affliction p. 186 187. 4. In all their addresses to the Throne of grace to make use of the Spirit 's help pag. 188 -190. THE CONTENTS Of the Second TREATISE CHAP. I. THe excellency and difficulty of Prayer p. 191 -194. The occasion of the Lord's prayer According to Matthew p. 194-197 Luke p. 194-197 The end of the Lords Prayer chiefly for a pattern or directory pag. 197. Evinced by 5 Arguments 1. Our Saviour's words in Matthew After this manner 2. The difference in the two Evangelist's relation of it 3. The Apostles neither used nor praescribed it 4. The nature and brevity of it 5. The nature and end of prayer pag. 197 -202. CHAP. II. THe Vsual Division of the Lords Prayer into the Preface Taken up and followed p. 202. Substance Taken up and followed p. 202. Conclusion Taken up and followed p. 202. The Preface describing the Object of prayer 1. From his Relation to us Our Father 2. From his eminency above us Which art in Heaven pag. 203. From the Preface 1. Doctr. Our prayers are to be directed to God and him unly p. 203. Proved by Arguments 1. God commands it 2. The standing practise of the Saints confirms it p. 203 204. Reas Prayer ascribes to God those attributes and gives him that glory which he will not have given to another p. 204. Use 1. Detest that Religion whieh teacheth to share this honour to Angels and Saints The absurdity whereof evinced since he to whom we pray must be 1. Lubens 2. Sciens 3. Potens All which in the degree requisite belong only to God pag. 205. 206. Obj. We may make Saints and Angels Mediators Answered in 3. particulars pag. 206 207. Use 2. See the infinite goodness and condescension of God in this pag. 207. Use 3. Try whether we pray to God only That is whether to God as our Object End though not so proper to this place p. 207 211. Use 4. Take this at once a Spur to curb in This duty pag. 211. 2. Doctr. They that come to God aright in Prayer must come to him as to a Father Explained God is a Father considered Personally or Hypostatically So the first person of the second Essentially the whole Trinity and to in respect of Creation Sustentation Adoption External Adoption Internal p. 212 213. Quest May none pray to God but such as can call him Father by Adoption Answered p. 214. Confirmed by the Practise of the Saints in Scripture p. 214. Reas There is not a more suitable Title for God to have or us to give him For it helps against miscarriages in Prayer As. 1. Irreverence 2. Vnbelief 3. Backwardness and unwillinness pag. 215 216. Use 1. Then Prayer is not so much a Task as a Priviledge which shews how unsuitaeble that threefold Distemper above mentioned is to this Duty 216 -219. Use 2. Prove and Try our Adoption Notes of a child 1. Resemblance to His Father p. 219 -221. 2. Obedience to His Father p. 219 -221. 3. Dependance on His Father p. 219 -221. Use 3. Exhortation All that call God Father carry as children 1. In your more immeâ—â—â— addresses to God 2. In the whole course of your lives p. 221 222 3. Doctr. They that come to God as a Father must bring Christ along with them Our Father i. e. In Christ pag. 223. Proved by 1. The Types of
heart down his Spirits saint yet he rises again and renews encreases his importunity Thus I have laid down something whereby the good fits of Nature may be discerned from the grace of the Spirit of Prayer And this may suffice to be spoken in answer to the second Case wherein we have endeavoured to distinguish betwixt the Spirit of prayer and those things that seem to have some affinity with it CHAP. IV. I Shall now proceed to the Resolution of a third Case relating to the Spirits Assistance in prayer in answer to which as to all the following I shall speak with more brevity than to the former and with as much plainness as the Lord shall enable me Case 3. Whether will the want of the Spirits Assistance excuse our Neglect or Non-performance of the Duty A Question worthy our serious consideration For though it be look't upon as the opinion of a few brain-sick persons that we must never pray but when moved by the Spirit yet methinks they may seem insanire cum ratione to have at least some show of Reason for this Assertion For this is undeniable and the Text in hand clears it that without the Spirits moving assisting influence we cannot pray as we ought our prayers are not acceptable but when they are the breathings of Gods own Spirit For as it is here v. 27. God knows the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mind meaning savourings breathings of his Spirit i. e. so knows as to accept and on the other hand he knows the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mind the motions and Eph. 2. 3. desires of the flesh so as that they are abominable to him Now shall we say that a man is bound to do that which is displeasing and odious to God What delight can God take in a prayer proceeding from a carnal heart The Sacrifice of the wicked is Prov. 15. 8. abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight So that it may seem to have some colour of Reason that where the Spirit is wanting the obligation to the duty ceaseth though upon due consideration it will appear but a colour Therefore to make my way clear I shall go by steps in resolving this Case Prop. 1. A man may be said to want the Spirits assistance either 1. When he is utterly void of the Spirit of grace while he is in a state of Nature and unregeneracy Such are said to be in and Rom. 8. 5 8 9. Jude 19. after the flesh to be carnally minded not to have the Spirit of Christ in whom the Spirit of God hath laid no foundation of a saving work 2. Or when he wants the actual quickning motions and assistances of the Spirit though he hath a saving work begun and his life be whole in him yet he is in a spiritual Swoon hath no warmth no motions or stirrings heaven-ward little differs from a meer carnal person That it may be thus for a time the sad experience of some of Gods precious servants will testifie Prop. 2. The Assistance of the Spirit is Gods gracious vouchsaftment and meer indulgence God is not a debtor to any If he withhold it none can charge him of injury or injustice and if he vouchsafe it none can say they have obliged God thereunto The Spirit is a free Agent and blows where it listeth It is Gods Spirit and John 3. 8. not ours and he may say to us as in Matth. 20. 15 May I not do what I will with mine own The Influences of the Spirit are like the Influences of Heaven Who can blame God justly if it do not rain or shine when he would have it Prop. 3. Prayer is a duty indispensably arising from our Relation to God as we are his creatures endued with reasonable souls having our whole dependance upon him So that our Obligation to the duty is lasting and ceases not while we are in the body compassed about with infirmities necessities temptations in respect whereof we continually stand in need of Gods help We are taught every day to say Give us this day our Mat. 6. 11. daily bread Whether therefore we have or have not the Spirits assistance the duty is duty still the necessity of it and obligation to it is permanent not variable according to the vouchsafements or witholdings of the Spirit and therefore it is sinful to neglect the duty upon pretence that we have not the Spirits enablements This I hope might satisfie any unprejudiced Judgement but because I would make things as Practical as I can I shall add something further to evince the Absurdity of their Opinion that make our Obligation to the duty void where the Spirit helps not But of this briefly Arg. 1. This assertion as strongly fights against all other duties as this of Prayer for without the Spirits Assistance we cannot perform any duty pleasing to God And indeed thus far have some already improved it Hence they will neither read nor hear c. but when the Spirit moves them So that this conceit however it may carry some shew of Reason in it seems to be a piece of the Devils Sophistry devised to subvert the practice of Religion an Invention much like the Pharisees Corban whereby Mat. 15. 5. they disobliged Children from their duty to Parents Nay what a door would it open to all wickedness licentiousness atheistical and vile practices and then all must be charged on God because he gave them not his Spirit to restrain and sanctifie them Can any thing be more blasphemous or more tend to the subversion of Religion Arg. 2. That which is a punishment of sin cannot be an excuse for the neglect of duty now the withdrawing or withholding the spirit's assistance is often a just punishment for sin for our grieving slighting quenching the Spirit c. When we improve not it's offered help reject it's motions or arrogate to our selves what we should ascribe to it's gracious enablements or the like how justly may God withhold it This seems to be David's case when he had fallen so grievously it is probable he found a want of the quickning comforting influences of Gods Spirit and therefore prayes Take not thy Holy Spirit from me q. d. I feel decayes Psal 51. 11 12. and withdrawings Oh do not wholly deprive me of its Indwelling Again Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit He felt weaknesses and faintings and therefore prayes to be upheld But now did David forbear to pray Nay doth he not pray more importunately Were that opinion right then a man might by some horrid provocation grieve away the Spirit of God and then he should be disobliged from duty than which what can be more absurd and impious Arg. 3. But to put all out of question The Precepts concerning this duty enjoyn constancy in it and the patterns of the Saints agree to those Precepts 1 Thess 5. 17. Pray without ceasing Eph.
can be but by regeneration and implantation into Christ To as many as received him to them John 1. 12. gave he power right or priviledge to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be or to be made the sons of God even to them that believe on his name Would you then be endued with a Spirit of prayer that you may come to God with reverence and confidence that you may be enabled to pray with groanings not to be uttered that the Spirit may make Intercession in and for you according to the will of God Here then is the way come to Christ cast off all self-righteousness accept of his merits and satisfaction Take his yoke upon you put it out of question that Christ is yours by making your selves his giving up your selves to him wholly absolutely unreservedly None can have the Spirit making Intercession in their hearts but those that accept of Christ and have him their Intercessor in Heaven 2. The next thing to be done is to purge out those corruptions which hinder and damp the 〈◊〉 Operations all sin nourished and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the soul hath a tendency that way â—t flaâ—â—rs the affections and grieves the Spirit The flesâ— lusteth against the Spirit â—al 5. â—â— and â—inders that we cannot do those things we woâ—ld Consciâ—â—â—â— of â—â—â— mightily weakens considence in prayer as we have already showed vain and worldly thoughts fill the 〈◊〉 and keep out the better motions of the Spirit So do turbulent and unruly passions 2 Kings 3. 15. The Prophet Elisha being in a passion at the sight of wicked Jehoram must have a Minstril to calm hâ—s Spirit and purifie his affections before the Spirit of Prophecy can seize upon him As the wrath of man works not the righteousness of God Jam. 1. 20. so it hinders the workings of his Spirit you may observe that when the Apostle bids us not grieve the Holy Spirit of God he immediately adds Let all bitterness and wrath and Eph. 4. 30 31. anger and clamour and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice It seems these do in a special manner grieve the Spirit It is a calm and quiet Spirit and delights to be and work in a calm and quiet soul a forgiving reconcileable frame is requisite in all our addresses to God since we are taught to pray Forgive us our debts as Mat. 6. 12. we forgive our debtors So do covetous desites carkings about worldly things so filthy unclean lustings c. If therefore we would be filled with the holy Spirit we must labour to empty the heart of these and other corruptions If the Devil must have the Room of our hearts empty swept and Mat. 1. 4â— garnished after his fashion that is void of grace filled with impurity that is his garnish as Calvin upon the Text Satanae sola deformitas pulchra est nihil benè olet praeter foetorem sordes Deformity is Satans beauty and noisome smell his delightful savour I say if the Devil must have it so surely the Spirit of God would have our hearts pure from filthiness cleansed from the defilements which are in the world through lust 3. In the deep sense of our own ignorance and insufficiency beg the Spirit to help and enable to teach you how and what to pray It is amongst the good things which God hath promised to bestow upon those that ask it Compare Matth. 7. 11. There it is good things in general with Luke 11. 13. There it is the Spirit as being eminently a good thing or comprehensively and virtually the summ of those good things which God bestows upon his children This is promised for asking only Labour to be sensible of your own necessity To which end do but consider what a pure holy heart-searching God you are to draw nigh to what qualifications are required in those that worship him and particularly what graces are requisite to the spiritual and acceptable performance of this duty For instance Heart-purity If I regard iniquity in my heart Psal 66. 18. the Lord will not bear my prayer Sincerity your prayer must not go out of lips of deceit Faith and Confidence you must ask in faith Psal 17. 1. Jam. 1. 5. nothing wavering Zeal and Fervency Importunity and Perseverance so much you are taught by the Parable of the importunate Widow and the example of the Woman of Canaan Humility and Reverence You Luk. 18. 11 must not be rash with your mouth nor your heart hasty to utter any thing before God Eccl. 5. 2. Besides your prayers must be according to the will of God add that your Confessions must be attended with a humbling sight of sin and hearty sorrow for it your Petitions with a deep sense of your wants and enlarged desire and expectation of supply to all which must be added Charity and Compassion towards others These and many other graces and qualifications are requisite to the acceptable performance of this great duty Now sit down and consider your own strength Are you able to go upon your own legs Can you either bestow these graces upon your selves or put them in exercise Were prayer nothing but wording it with God the Spirits help were lese needful but if this be indeed to pray Oh what need have you and I to beg down the Spirit of God into our hearts to enable us hereunto 4. Meditation also is another means whereby we may be fitted for the Spirits operation it is a door by which it enters into the soul it prepares the Sacrifice upon which fire from Heaven often comes down My heart was hot within me while I Psal 39. 3 4 5. was musing the fire burned and this fire breaks out into prayers and ejaculations These duties are of such affinity that the Gen. 24. 63. one is probably put for both Isaac went out to meditate or pray in the field at Even-tide and they are joyned together Psal 5. 1. Give ear to my words O Lord consider my Meditation So Psal 19. 14. There is a natural connexion betwixt them Now the Spirit of God works in a natural methodical way the soul is oyl'd by Meditation then the Spirit sets it in motion If you ask What Meditations will prepare us for the Spirits in-comes There is a large field to expatiate in the works and Word of God the Precepts Promises examples of the Saints the encouraging experiences of Gods people the prevalency and perpetuity of Christs Intercession and especially your own wants infirmities temptations these will be spurs to put you on and in so doing the Spirit will not be wanting to fill your sayles 5. Which respects those who have a foundation laid and a work of grace begun on their hearts Stir-up the gifts and graces which are bestowed upon you Laziness deprives us of many a sweet experience in this kind We must therefore not let the graces of Gods Spirit lye as sparks hid in the ashes
delivered them as from him being as I hope agreeable to his Word And Isa 48. 17. now may the Lord who teacheth to profit and who hath his Spirit to send when and to whom he pleaseth follow these Counsels with his Spirit that they may be effectual to their intended end Mean while because this Case is in the nature of an Exhortation to get the Spirit of Prayer it will not be amiss to press my self and you that hear me to the use of these helps for the attainment of this great Priviledge by two or three moving Considerations wherein I shall not say what I could but what is necessary Mot. 1. Let the first Motive be drawn from the misery of those that want the Spirit of prayer which had I the Tongue of Men and Angels I could not fully express It was the Speech of a good man that One is Mr. Dod. never to purpose miserable till he be in affliction and cannot pray But it is not only in affliction that such are miserable Let a man be in a condition never so prosperous the want of this is unspeakably sad It were easie to descend into particulars but I forbear In short Would you not think it a sad case to be dumb or tongue-ty'd or to have your tongue cut out that you could not make known your wants or ailments Will you not much pity and compassionate such But what 's that to the want of a Spirit of prayer That 's but outward this Spiritual that may be many wayes supplyed as by signs or writing as Zechariah Luke 1. 62 63. But this can be no wayes supplyed or compensated The very want of that draws out mens bowels you will sooner and more bountifully relieve such than a clamorous Beggar Their want of Speech is the most moving Rhetorick But God is deaf to those that are spiritually dumb his ear is stopt to them whose mouths are not opened He bids Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81. 10. Again is it not unspeakably sad to be under an unsupportable burden ready to be crush't in pieces and not able to cry out for help though it is at hand if we could but call for it This is thy Case Guilt lies upon thy soul a Load that will sink thee into the lowest Hell Mercy is at hand to help to ease thee if thou couldst but cry for it But without a Spirit of prayer either thou canst not cry or not so as that God will hear thee Besides we will suppose thee in a Wilderness of Troubles ready to sink in the Psal 69. 2. deep mire where there is no standing None to help or pity thee how sad is thy case if thou canst not pour out thy soul to the Lord Psal 55. 22. 142. 2. What hearts case wouldst thou have if thou couldst cast thy burden upon the Lord if thou couldst pour out thy complaint to him and shew before him all thy trouble Oh but how intolerably heavy is thy burden like to be when the whole weight lies upon thy own back This is the special advantage of haveing the Spirit of prayer which the Apostle hints at in the Text It lifts with us it gives vent and consequently ease to a soul ready to be overwhelmed Once more wer 't thou ready to be devoured and torn in pieces by Wild Beasts Wolves or Lions and mightst be rescued upon thy calling for help How sad were it to want a tongue in such an Exigency Poor soul thou art ready to be seized upon by the roaring Lion 1 Pet. 5. 8. Rev. 9. 11. John 8. 44. the Abaddon and Apollyon the murderer of souls the destroyer of mankind he is at hand to make a prey of thee nay if thou be in an unregenerate state thou art already in his Paws he hath fast hold of thee he leads thee Captive at his will yet without 2 Tim. 2. 26. the Spirit of prayer thou art like to be a prey to his Teeth If thou canst not pray with Daniel this Lyon will have the mastery Dan. 6. 24. of thee and break all thy bones in pieces and make thee the miserable subject of his eternal Torments But this is little to what might be spoken Thy wants are infinite and very pressing yet thou hast no way to fetch in supply Thy burdens great and the greater because not felt and no way to fetch in support Thy dangers and temptations many and the more because not feared or apprehended yet no where to hide thy self Divine Justice and Vengeance ready to seize upon thee to take thee by the Throat and not a Tongue to cry for mercy Death ready to arrest thee and the Devil to hurry thee into an eternal Prison where is nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of Teeth yet canst not speak a prevailing word in Gods ear though thy life thy soul thy eternal happiness lie upon it Oh who would not tremble and hasten out of such a condition And while I have said all this I would be understood thus that the Spirit of prayer is a remedy against all these miseries So that there is a second Motive included in this viz. The unspeakable advantage of having that Spirit of Adoption that may teach us to cry Abba Father Mot. 2. Can you have a higher or more honourable Priviledge Besides the benefit which by contraries you may gather from the former particular What a dignity is it to be a Friend and Favourite of Heaven to have Gods ear open to your prayers to have 1 Pet. 3. 12. Deut. 4. 7. God nigh unto you in all things that you call upon him for Let flattering Parasites and ambitious Haman's glory in distinguishing Ester 5. 11. favours of Princes and Potentates and boast themselves of their honours and advancements What 's all this to your dignity You shall have his ear who hath the hearts Prov. 21. 1. of Kings in his hand and can turn them as the rivers of water who can give a check to the proudest Monarchs and reprove Kings for his peoples sake effectually saying to them Touch not mine Annointed and do my Prophets Psal 105. 14 15. no harm Yea he can make the proudest Pharaoh beg your prayers It will make you Exod. 9. 28. Gen. 32. 28. Israels as Princes shall you have power with God and with men and shall prevail It will make you formidable to your enemies She gave but a just Testimony to this Priviledge that said * Queen of Scots She more feared the prayers of one Knox than an Army of twenty thousand This made that Regiment of Christian Souldiers famous to succeeding Ages by the name of the * In Marcus Aurelius his Army Mat. 21. 22. Thundring Legion Indeed it invests a Christian with a kind of Omnipotency All things whatsoever ye ask in prayer believing ye shall receive But the highest Dignity it confers upon us is that we become
Woollen of mens supposed super-erogatory Merits with the clean white Linnen of the Saints The Spirit will no longer be an Intercessor in our hearts than we rely upon Christ alone as our Intercessor in Heaven I am confident the Spirit never went along with prayers put up in the name of the virgin Mary Peter Paul c. Abide then in this Doctrine 2. Abide in the Faith of Christ I mean a personal applicatory Faith whereby we depend on Christ and his merits for acceptance of our persons and audience of our prayers It is not enough that we assent to the Doctrine but we must also rely on the merits of Christ We can no longer pray in the Spirit than we pray in Faith If we stagger in our affiance we shall want our wonted assistance 3. Abide also in the love of Christ maintain a singular and superlative esteem of him in your hearts count him the chief of ten thousand altogether lovely To abide in Christ is to continue and abide in his love But John 15. 9 10. what is this to the purpose in hand How will this procure the Spirits continued assistance in prayer Very much Love to Christ is one of those sweet and fragrant flowers indeed of his own planting wherein the Spirit is much delighted Observe that Text If a man love me be V. 23. will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him How else do the Father or Son make their abode in a soul but by the Spirit Where then the Love of Christ is there the Spirit takes up his abode and where he abides he cannot be idle and unimployed He is like some friend that though they come but a visiting will further and not hinder business though indeed his coming to the John 14. 16. soul is not to give us a visit but to abide with us for ever And so much in answer to this fifth Case CHAP. VII IN the two last Cases I have proposed something 1. In order the Attainment of the Spirit of prayer 2. In order to the Preserving and continuing it The next will be Case 6. What may I do to recover the Spirits help and enablements its quickning motions its lively stirrings and assistances when they are withdrawn I need not say much of the usefulness or necessity of this Case What I spoke of the former is easily applicable hither The frequent complaints of Gods people concerning their indisposition coldness straitness and inability to prayer sufficiently tell us that it is needful to propose what may be thought effectual in this Case Something is fit to be premised though in effect it hath been hinted before 1. We may be said to lose or want the Spirits assistance either 1. As to that degree of liveliness and ability which we have formerly found There may be abatements of that fervour enlargement and vigour of affections that we have exercised in prayer This is the common experience I believe of all Christians They do not alwayes enjoy the same measure of divine enablement sometimes they sail swiftly Wind and Tide favour them at other times their motion is very slow they drive heavily much ado to bear up against the Wind and Waves 2. Sometimes we may seem wholly to want the Spirits assistance not one good motion no heart to pray I say not that we may lose the Spirit as to its Indwelling but as to its operations there may seem a Cessation of any lively breathings As in a Swoon the breath may be stopt the pulse not beat sensibly so that one may not feel himself alive and may be judged by others to be dead Though as Paul said of Eutychus Act. 20. 10. his life is in him Now I would be understood to speak to both these What is to be spoken may respect both the remission and abatement of degrees and also the intermission or cessation of acts of Spiritual life Both sorts need Counsell 2. The Spirits Return must be an act of free grace and indeed of rich grace For I suppose it will be granted that the Spirit withdraws not but upon some great Provocation though God may have as you have heard very gracious ends in such desertions yet I can scarce think he doth it till we have justly deserved it and in a manner driven a way his holy Spirit Now you may easily see that to sin against the Spirit of God after we have enjoyed his presence found the sweetness of his assistance and known the advantage thereof must needs be a very provoking sin it carries in it much of ingratitude and dis-ingenuity Solomon's sin was the more hainous because 1 Kings 11. 9. his heart was turned away from the Lord his God who appeared unto him twice How ill then must God needs take it that thou shouldst grieve his Spirit and abuse his goodness who hath appeared so often so sweetly and comfortably to thy soul Who hath helped thee at many a dead lift and put many a good motion into thy heart and held thee up in duty So that thy sin is not a little sin it calls for a deep humiliation it may cost thee many a deep sigh many a brinish tear before thou recover thy former state Nay possibly God may set just cause never to return to thee in that degree of enlargement and those gracious manifestations which thou hast sinned away Thou maist lay down thy head in sorrow though thy eternal condition be secured This I say not to break any bones or to discourage any from using means but to let them know that its dangerous to grieve the Spirit of God and that it requires the utmost of their diligence and industry to recover from under such desertions And now I come to lay down something in answer to this Case Direct 1. Thy first work must be to endeavour to find out the sin or sins which have robbed thee of this Priviledge Search and search again till thou findest out the Achan that hath thus troubled thy soul Here I cannot reckon up every particular sin that may possibly be a cause of the Spirits withdrawment but only hint what probably may be and ordinarily is the occasion of it It is not every miscarriage that grieves away the Spirit then who should enjoy that Priviledge The Spirit helps our infirmities It pitties us under weaknesses therefore meer failings do not provoke God to take away his Spirit Nor yet every greater sin if speedily repented of You can scarce imagine a sin more hainous for the nature than Peter's or more aggravated by its circumstances Yet it appears not that he lay under desertion he wept bitterly and it is not likely his tears were prayerless and no sooner is our Saviour arisen but he must have the Tidings with the first Such things intimate that he fell not under desertion His repentance was as speedy and serious as his sin was hainous Well what
this day of fear and trouble what brought it forth how wrought it You see it produced prayers supplications strong crying tears ardour and vehemency in prayer Object You have abundantly proved that the Saints in their troubles were much in prayer but what is this to the purpose How appears it that they had the Spirits help Might not nature and a desire of self-preservation prompt them to this course Will not even wicked men pray and cry under troubles Answ True Nature may do much It can make an Ahab put on sack-cloth and humble himself and go softly It can make a Pharaoh in a strait beg Moses his prayers c. yet if you take along these two considerations it will be evident that they were assisted by the Spirit of supplication 1. Consider how they prayed and that with extraordinary fervour strong cries and importunate wrestlings this speaks that they were strengthned with might by the Spirit in their inward man A natural man can bowl upon his bed observe that and Hos 7. 14. they can assemble themselves fâ—r corn and wine note what they pray for It is but howling it is but lazy upon their beds it is but for corn and wine but now read the prayers of the afflicted Saints you may see an impress of Divinity upon them they even breathe out that Spirit by whom they were indited Oh the confidence mixt with humility Oh the strength and sinews Oh the sweet infinuations pressing importunities c. that may be observed in them 2. But if this be not sufficient consider in the next place how they sped what success and acceptance they had with God what their efficacy and verâ—ue was what gracious returns they had Now when God causeth his ears to hear it is an argument he first prepares their hearts No prayer is Psal 10. 17. acceptable to God but what is the breathing of his own Spirit The Text tell you he knâ—weth that is accepteth is well pleased with the mind of the Spirit God can distinguish betwixt what is ours and what is his own That twofold intercession of Christ in Heaven and of the Spirit in our hearts is jointly necessary to procure the acceptance of our prayers with God Now look back upon the Instances I have given Jacob David Paul c. yea see how graciously God answered their requests whence it is evident those prayers were the operations of his own Spirit Thus of the first Proposition 2. As to the second that it is a singular Priviledge and comfort to Gods afflicted children to have the Spirits assistance in prayer it is already in a great measure proved in what hath been said to the several Cases proposed yet something I shall add as to the advantage of it in afflictions which I shall discover in five or six sweet effects of it in an afflicted state but know this that when I have said all your own experience will make you say as the Queen of Sheba concerning 1 Kings 10. 6 7. Solomon Behold the half was not told me It is an inexpressible advantageâ— Sampson's riddle is in this sense verified the Judg. 14. 14. Spirit of prayer out of the eater brings meat and out of the strong sweetness Particularly 1. The Spirits help in affliction carries in it much of Evidence The Spirit of supplication is the Spirit of Grace When in our afflictions Zech. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 15. we can cry Abba Father it shews that we have received the Spirit of Sons Hereby we have a singular proof that we Gal. 4. 6. are Christs for as it holds Negatively that If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his So Positively he that hath the Spirit is Christs for as many as are led by the Rom. 8. 9 14. Spirit of God they are the Sons of God And what more lenifying or sweetning ingredient can be put into the bitter cup of affliction What an allay is this to the saddest sharpest Trouble It were easie here to cut this River into many streams and to shew what abundant comfort in affliction flows from the assurance of our Adoption but I forbear particulars Only to hint something Hence we know we are in the hand of a loving tender-hearted Father who doth not Lam 3 31 32 33. afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men much less his own children who will not cost off for ever but though he cause grief yet will have compassion according to the Isa 63. 9 multitude of his mercies who is himself afflicted in our afflictions Hence we may be assured that our afflictions shall be proportioned timed limited so as we shall be able to bear them that they shall be for our good that we shall have deliverances and that in the best season c. So that the very reflection upon our prayers put up in faith humility and fervency doth much alleviate our burden and if not take away yet much abate the bitterness of the Cup. 2. Which follows upon the former It brings case with it it may well be called hearts case Experience tells us if we have but a faithful friend to whom we may impart our grievances and freely unbosome our selves it much lightens our burden And what friend like God By this means Hannah cased her 1 Sam. 1. 18. grieved heart and cheered her sadded countenance This hath been the Saints practice David still had recourse to God by prayer and you may in many Psalms observe how the case is changed and his soul refreshed before his prayer be ended he got renewed strength In the day when I cryed thou answeredst Psal 138. 3. Psal 55. 22. me and strengthnedst me with strength c. Hearty servent prayer is one way of casting our burden upon the Lord and in so doing he hath promised to sustain us and surely he cannot but have much case under whatever burden who hath an almighty arm to lean upon How often had the backs and hearts too of Gods persecuted servants been broken if they could not have poured out their souls to God I noted above from the Title of that Psalm that it is the practice Psal 102. of the afflicted and almost overwhelmed people of God to pour out their souls before the Lord. Other friends sometimes can and will not sometimes would and cannot relieve us 2 Kings 6. 27. If the Lord do not help thee how can I But God wants neither pity nor power to help Yet I here speak not so much of actual deliverance as of that inward quiet and serenity which prayer brings into the soul 3. The Spirit of prayer administers a ground of strong confidence to a soul under affliction The more servent in prayer the more lively are its hopes the stronger its confidence either of support under or deliverance from its afflictions however that thereby some special good shall accrew to it And it cannot be otherwise for there are many
precious Promises made to prayer Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will Psal 50. 15 bear thee And ye shall seek me and find me Jer. 29. 13. when ye shall search for me with all your heart And it shall come to pass that before Isa 65. 24. they call I will answer and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear How can a soul but grow in hope as he feels the Spirit of prayer more and more powerful in him In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence Prov. 14. 26. Prayer is a singular part of the fear or worship of God and causes confidence Prayer hath had such attestations from Heaven and is propt up with such promises in the Word that when it is spiritually performed it cannot but elevate the soul to a high pitch of expectation Psal 22. 1. 6. The Psal â— 1. 6. Church prayes earnestly for the King and then concludes with confidence Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed he will hear from his holy Heaven with the saving strength of his right hand When God prepares Psal 10. 17. the heart it is a certain pledge he will cause his ear to hear We may argue in this Case as Manaoh's Wife If the Lord were pleased to kill us he would not have received Judges 13. 23. a burnt-offering and a meat-offering at our hands So if the Lord would not hear our prayers he would never put such a Spirit of Supplication into our hearts 4. The Spirit of prayer also seâ—cheth in support under affliction it draws down strength from Heaven as in that of David before mentioned In the day when I cryed thou Psal 138. â—3 answeredst me and strengthnedst me with strength in my soul Strong cries bring fresh supplies of strength and procure ability to bear Paul when he prevails not for the removal of that Thorn in the flesh yet hath this comfortable 2 Cor. 12. 8 9. answer My grace shall be sufficient for thee q. d. I will not remove thy burden but I will renew thy strength This is promised in that sweet Scripture They Isa 40. 31. that wait on the Lord and prayer is a singular way of waiting shall renew their strength Faith Hope Love Parience and every other grace is exceedingly strengthned by prayer and in this respect it brings case as was shewed above as a man at full strength can with a little finger bear away what a Child cannot lift Paul could do or suffer all things through Phil. 4. 13. Christ strengthning him this strength is derived by prayer rightly performed Therefore is it that he prayes so earnestly that God would strengthen the Ephesians with Eph. 3. 16. might by his Spirit in their inward man 5. By this also the sanctification of afflictions is procured It not only procures strength to bear but grace also to improve It is the true Philosophers-Stone that turns all it toucheth into Gold Like the skilful Apothecary it makes out of Poyson an Antidote against Poyson As every creature so 1 Tim â— 4 5. every cross and trouble is sanctified by prayer so that they become blessings to us Prayer draws our the vertue of that great Gospel-promise that all things shall work together Rom. 8 28. for good And who knows the benefits that are brought to Gods people by sanctified afflictions How are corruptions mortified graces refined envigorated and purged from their drossy mixtures How are the after visits of Heaven rendred abundantly sweeter and which I would especially instance in by pressing afflictions sanctified we learn to press more into the Divine presence where the Spirit of prayer is it rises higher by afflictions as Noah's Ark did by the encrease of the waters Let not therefore the ignorant world wonder that the Saints in the midst of pressing afflictions 1 Pet. 1. 6 8. can rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory for the Spirit of prayer going along with those afflictions turns them into singular advantages Well may they count it all Jam. 1. 2 3. joy when they fall into divers Temptations knowing that the trying of their faith worketh Rom. 5. 3 4 patience and patience experience and experience hope which maketh not ashamed This effect David found that his Corrections became Psal 119. 67. Instructions Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word and therefore saw cause to say It is good for 71. me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes yea to acknowledge that in faithfulness God had afflicted him Now 75. this happy fruit is the product of prayer God may indeed turn the afflictions of a wicked man to good but it is by teaching him to pray Manasseh when he was in affliction besought the Lord his God and 2. Chron. 33. 12 13. humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers and prayed unto him and he was entreated of him Afflictions stir up prayer and prayer sactifies afflictions and sactified afflictions may be put into the Catalogue of our choicest blessings 6. And this also when the Lord sees it good procures a happy issue and deliverance It is the means which God hath appointed The sorrows of Death compassed me and the pains of Hell gate hold upon me Then called I upon the name of the Lord Psal 116. 3 4 7 8. and the issue was God dealt bountifully with him delivered his soul from death his eyes from tears and his feet from falling Prayer rightly performed hath this certain effect to procure deliverance with one only exception unless God in his infinite Wisdom see it more for his glory and for our spiritual and eternal good to be kept still in the surnace and this is such an exception as every gracious soul will gladly admit of But I may yet rise higher The Spirit of Prayer not only procures deliverance but deliverance in mercy deliverance sanctified and that is a pledge of eternal deliverance Others may be delivered but theirs is not so much a Preservation as a Reservation to some sadder calamity but there is this in Deliverance procured by prayer that the soul may be assured God intends him good by it These are a few of those infinite advantages which the Spirit of prayer brings along with it to Gods afflicted servants but it is impossible to enumerate all These are but as a cluster or two in comparison of the full Vintage Do but look over the precious promises made to the people of God in their straits take notice how many how great things are promised and so many are the Advantages which the Spirit of prayer brings with it for that is the key which opens those Treasuries that sets those Conduits a running and drains out the sweetness and vertue of them Thus you have each part of the Doctrine confirmed and made good Let us now see what Improvement may be made of
more glorified and wee more shamed so in petition though God knows what wee want yet hee would have us sensible of our wants and shew him as it were the grieved place Ja. 1. 5 If any man lack Wisedome and so of any other grace or goodthing let him ask it of God c. Thus it is in Thanksgiving wee must be particular in acknowleging mercies 1 Thessa 5. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every thing give thanks Wee are to summe up as wee can the particular mercies of God Psalm 139. 17 18. how doth David in that Eucharisticall Psalm viz. 18. amplify upon every circumstance of his deliverances so that though this be full and every way absolute as a pattern yet it is not sufficient to attaine all the ends of prayer which doubtless it should have been had Christ intended it properly as a form to be constantly used in the very words and syllables of it I owe as much Reverence to it as those that are the most Zâ—alous contenders for it but I cannot see that our Saviour intended it for more then a platform for our imitation and direction CHAP. II. HAving spoken to these two things I now enter upon the handling of it wherein I shall propose to my self the same end that our Saviour had in giving it viz. to teach you to pray Nor shall I handle every particular Truth which would arise from the words but only such as may direct us in prayer and those in such a Method as I conceive most helpfull to that duty The Usuall and most naturall Division of this excellent Directory for prayer is into 3. Heads 1. The Preface 2. The substance or body of it 3. The conclusion or Doxology In the Preface Our Father which art in Heaven wee have the Object of prayer or him to whom wee must pray described by way of Compellation and that 1. From his Relation to us Our Father 2. From his eminency above us which art in Heaven The first Lesson for our direction in prayer will arise from the whole Preface as Describing God to whom wee pray 1. Doctr. Our prayers are to be directed to God and him only A Truth I hope unquestionable amongst us and therefore needs the less to be insisted on yet because wee may possibly meet with those that may endeavour to shake this foundation let mee fortify you with an Argument or two and then a Reason God command ' s it as a speciall part of that worship which is due to him as God and therefore not to be yielded to any other Psalm 50. 15. Call upon meâ— Amos 5 4 5 6 8. Seek not to Bethel Seek the Lord Seek him that maketh the 7 Starres Isa 8. 19. When they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar Spirits should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead q. d. that were a most vaine and impious thing The Decree passed in the Court of Babylon for 30 dayes Dan. 26. 7. viz. that none should ask a petition of any but of the King is past in Heaven for ever in reference to the great God and everlasting King No prayer or Petition as part of worship is to be put up to any other but to him alone 2. Wee have the universall standing practise of the saints of the Old and New Testament for our direction and imitation Is there the least syllable of their praying to Angels Saints or other creature How are they described Psalm 24. 6. The generation that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Psalm 99. 6. 22. 5. To whom doth Paul bow the knee Eph. 1. 17. or our Saviour direct his prayer John 17 This is the frequent title of the Saints they are such as call on God's name not on any other Acts. 2. 21. Rom. 10 12 13. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 2. 22. What is said to the Contrary of the Patriarch's Abraham's and Jakob's praying to Angels c. scarce deserves confutation and is abundantly done by others yet I shall hint at it by and by Take this Reason Reas Therefore must wee pray to God alone because prayer ascribes to God those attributes and gives him that glory which hee will not have ascribed or given to any other Isa 42. 8. By prayer wee acknowledge God's omniscience for to what purpose is it to pray to him that knows not what wee want or cannot heare us When wee pray wee ascribe to him omnipotency that hee is able to fulfill our requests Mercy and goodness to incline him to heare us Truth and faithfulness to perform his Promises wee ascribe to him the glory of our trust and dependence for how shall wee call on him in whom wee have not beleeved Rom. 10. 14. Now can God who is especially jealous about his glory and worship take it well that wee should rob him of these things which are the Jewels of his Crowne Is it a light matter to give to the Creature that which belongs only to God What can be greater injury to God or more gross Idolatry Use 1 Let us then improve this Truth 1. Into a detestation and abhorceny of that Religion which teacheth to share this honor due to God alone with Angels Sanâ—s or Images perhaps to wicked men Trayâ—ors and Rebâ—ls Thomas Becket c. as some of those were which the Church of Rome hath Canonizâ—d should you be assaulted with Temptations to that Religion have recourse to this pattern tell them that tempt you that the unerring Guide hath taught you to call upon God only that you cannot say to any other but God only Our Father c. that hee to whom you pray must have those three properties which none but God can have 1. Hee must be Lubens willing to heare and help and who is like unto God in this Mich. 7. 18. What care so open as God's 1 Pet. 4. 12. What help so neare at hand Psalm 46. 1. But suppose any other willing yet 2. Hee must be Sciens one that knowes what you want and who but the all knowing God can see into your Souls and know what you stand in need of Matt. 6. 32 Yea hee must know better then your selves for wee are very often ignorant of our wants and necessities and ask what is hurtfull in stead of what is needfull The Physician must have more skill then the Patient else there is little hope of doing him good But 3. Hee must be Potens able both to heare from Heaven to Earth to understand all languages yea the secret sighs and groanes of our hearts Rom. 8. 26. Moreover hee must be able to discerne betwixt those that pray in sincerity and those that pray in hypocrisy and hee must be such a one as can Simul Semel at once heare all suites and petitions in and from all parts of the world and who but God alone can doe all this 1. nor only must hee be able to heare but 2. to help
there such a childlike obsequious principle in you can you yield to the Will of God when it crosses yours hee that would try his obedience must take a trying command such as God gave Abraham Gen. 22. 1. about sacrificing his son such as thwarts his humour Interest c. Oh how few will obey where any disadvantage to their carnall Interest attends their obedience Well but I tell you this is so essentiall to a child of God that without it in some measure it is impossible we should be Children 3. Dependnece on the Father is the Genius and disposition of a child especially in its minority so it is with a child of God his dependence is upon God his hope in him his expectation from him Psam 39. 6. and 56. 3. and 4. ult 2 Tim. 1. 12. all these and abundance more of clear Scriptures declare that the whole affiance of a child of God is in his heavenly Father How is it with us where is our confidence It may be wee goe to God when wee want a mercy and wee are not so atheisticall but wee will acknowledge that wee cannot have it without Gods giving yet Doe wee not more rely on the Physician then on God for our health more on our owne wisdom or friends advice then on Gods providence for the management of our affairs Oh there lies much of secret Atheism in this when wee pray to God yet rely on our selves or others well but if thou art indeed a child thou hast learnt to commit thy way to the Lord to east thy burden upon him to intrust thy self and all thy concernments in his hand These may be helpfull to discover your Sonship and consequently to encourage you to goe to God in prayer with considence Use 3 The last Use I shall make is this Let all those who call on God under the Notion of Father carry to him as children This as all other Priviledges is attended with duty In two words 1. Carry as children in your immediate addresses to God in prayer hearing c. And that is by putting on those affections wherewith it becomes a child to approach his Father such are humility reverence awe yet joyned with confidence only remember that your distance from God is infinitely greater then of the child from his earthly Parent and therefore your reverence must be the greater 2. Nor only in your more immediate addresses but in the whole course of your lives It s a wretched thing to goe to God Morning and Evening with Our Father in your mouths and to carry all day as Râ—bels 1. Pet. 1. 14. As obedient Children and verse 17. If yee call on the Father pass the time of your sojeurning here in fear You contradict your prayers by unchildlike carriages and proclaim to the world that you are not what you pretend you give God just cause to say to you as Mal. 1. 6. If I be a Father where is mine bonour Well then as the Apostle urgeth let every one that 2 Tim. 2. 19. nameth the name of Christ so I let every one that nameth the name of Father that calleth upon God as a Father depart from iniquity and endeavour a deportment suitable to that Relation Thus much for the Relation Father I now proceed to the Ground and Extent of this Relation both implyed in that sweat Monosyllable Our which as Expositors judge hath a double reference To Christ and so it imports the ground of this Relation q. d. Thou O Lord who art the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and in and through him Our Father Though Jesus Christ be not named in this exact form yet the very Title of Relation Father and this word Our doe intimate in whose name wee ought to come and by whom wee must have access to God 2. To all Beleevers q. d. my Father and the Father of all those that beleeve on Christ The Father of that great family in Heaven and Fph. 3 14 15. Earth And according to this double reference there is implyed a 2. fold grace which wee should especially bring along with us in prayer viz Faith in Christ and Love to the Brethren without both which wee cannot say Our Father in Truth and Sincerity nor call on God with acceptance I shall according to this double respect of the word lay down a 2. fold observation handling them with that brevity as I have done the former and endeavouring to make each Doctrin as it were a particular Rule or Directory in prayer which is my design in this whole work The first of these is taken from the word as it relates to Christ It is the 3d. Doctrine in order Doctrine 3 They that come to God as a Father must bring Christ along with them wee must not say My Father though in regard of each Christians peculiar Interest in God I deny not the lawfulness of it but wee must say Our Father that is the Father of our Elder Brother first and then ours through him However the very word of Relation Father importing our adoption doth sufficiently intimate this Truth Wee cannot come to God as Father but by Christ as Mediatour nor will hee own us as Children if own not Christ as our Elder Brother As no man comes to Christ but by the Fathers power John 6. 44. so no man comes to the Father prevailingly but by the Sons merit and mediation John 14. 6. 1. The Types of the old Testament For proof Shadowed out this Truth Christ was the substance of those shadows and many of them did shadow out this particular of Christ viz. his being our way to the Father This was prefigured by the High-Priest's entring into the Holy of holies in the people's behalf as also by Gods commanding the sacrifice to be brought to the Priest to be offered by him and forbidding the people either to offer their owne sacrifices or to put incense thereto because this must be done by the Priest Read to this purpose Levit. 5. 8 12. and 17. 3. 10. and 8. 11. and 16. 12 13. And what did all this teach but that wee must come by Christ our high Priest unto the Father the same was intimated by the blood of sprinkling the Hysop the scarlet wooll c. which for brevity I omitt 2. The express commands of the new Testament doe teach this lesson hence Christ is called our High-Priest Heb. 2. 17. and 3. 1. and 4. 14. and 10. 21. our Mediatour Heb. 9. 15. and 12. 24. that is one that stands betwixt God and us By him wee have access and Manuduction into the presence of God Eph. 2. 17. Through him wee are commanded to offer the sacrifice of â— praise to Gâ—d Hebr. 13. 15. So that as Joseph's Brethren might not see his face unless they brought Benjamin with them so neither can wee see the reconciled face of God without Christ all our addresses to God in prayer and returns of praise must be through him John 16.
application meanwhile consider but that Scripture Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdom of God is not in meat and drink but in righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost There are three grand benefits accruing from Gods Kingdom which would afford an ample field of discourse but I forbear what greater honour think you can God confer upon us then to take us into the Relation and invest us which the priviledges of subjects in his Kingdom of grace and glory But then wee cannot goe into this Kingdom and therefore have need to pray it may come to us John 6. 44. No man can come to mee saith Christ except the Father draw him i. e. none can accept mee as Lord and Saviour So that the sense in part of this Petition may be this Lord I and all the world are averse to thy Kingdom loath to have Christ â—ign over us wee shall never yield except thou conquer and overpower our wils by thy grace and Spirit O let thy power come upon us and others let it be the day of thy power that wee may become a willing people Psam 110. 3. Use Make this Petition your pattern that 's the only use I shall make of each Petition conform your prayers to this platform let us unanimously beg and let it be the hearty and enlarged breathing of every gracious soul that Gods Kingdom may come Pray that as it is promised Psal 2. 5 8. God will set his King upon his holy Zion that hee will give unto Christ the Heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for his possession for as I should have told you Jesus Christ is the dispenser of Gods Kingdom especially that of grace see John 5 22 23. Mot. 1. Consider but how advantagious the coming of Gods Kingdom will be to your souls families towns and Nation doe but think for I shall not run into particulars what are the benefits that flow from the most prudent and pious administration of an Earthly Kingdom those in a larger measure will accrue in a Spiritual sense from the coming of Gods Kingdom unto you Infinite and unspeakable are the benefits of a Government rightly managed both as to the preventing of evils and the procuring of good things but none comparable to the Kingdom of God hence righteousness peace plenty prosperity defence safety unity and which results from all unspeakable joy and comfort But I leave this to your owne meditation Study Psal 72. which relates to Christ as well as to Solomon and those many prophesies which foretell and promise this Kingdom and the coming of it and predicate the exceeding benefits and advantages of it 2. Then may you hope it shall come to your comfort when it is the breathing of your souls that it may come 't is promised to the upright that they shall see the King in his glory Isa 33. 17. They that like Simeon wait for the consolation of Israel may sing his song when Christ is revealed in the Gospel Luk. 2. 25 29. One well distinguishes betwixt the being and the coming of Gods Kingdom amongst a people it is every where especially where the Gospel is preached even amongst the wicked but it comes to the faithfull on Earth to the Saints in heaven where it is 't is in power and justice where it comes 't is in love and mercy it may be amongst us and yet leave us in the Sea to suffer shipwrack where it comes it brings us to a haven but whether there be ground enough for this distinction or no wee may distinguish of its coming To some it comes against their will and they wilfully withstand it as Luk. 19. 14. To others besides their will and they neglect it unless it please God to open their eyes to see and incline their hearts to embrace it but to others begging and seeking after it and these may certainly rejoice and lift up their heads As a King 's coming to the Throne is matter of fear and terrour to Rebels but of joy and comfort to truely loyall subjects Though I must needs tell you that even such desires and breathings after the Kingdom of God speak that God is already beginning his Kingdom in such souls 3. 'T is the summe of what wee can or need to ask for our selves or others As what we ask in reference to God is included in and reducible to the first Petition so what for our selves to this As our blessed Saviour reduced Gods Ten-words so the Hebrew calls the Ten Commandments to two and the Apostle reduces both to one Gal. 5. 14. so might all the following be reduced to these two and both to this one for by the powerfull and effectuall coming of Gods Kingdom in all the branches of it both the name of God is sanctified and wee receive a confluence of all good things temporall spirituall and eternall Tell mee what more would any serious Christian desire for himself or others but that hee might here be a child of grace and hereafter an heir of glory This is the summe of Davids Petition Lead mee by thy counsel and receive mee into glory Psal 73. 24. Should God put you to your Choice as hee did Solomon What more would the truely wise soul desire than that God would so order his providences that hee might be brought into and built up in the Kingdom of grace and at last reign with God eternally in the Kingdom of glory And this is the import of this Petition For direction I shall give the very same generalls in this and the following as in the first Direct 1. Labour to get a cleare and distinct understanding what is implyed and included in this Petition and here as in all the rest 1. Something is acknowledged 2. Something Petitioned 1. Something acknowledged As 1. That God is absolute and universall Soveraign of the world This is clearly implyed wee ascribe a Kingdom to God and such a Kingdom as wee desire might come to us and all the world So that in conformity to this Petition wee may confess and enlarge upon the Soveraignty of God the just title hee hath over all the Kingdoms in the world that all are to stoop to his Scepter and submit to his government as also that hee hath that power to command all creatures into obedience that hee hath both the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 powâ—r and right to govern all creatures To this purpose borrow Davids words 1 Chron. 29. 11. Thine is the Kingdom O Lord and thou art exalted as head above all or Psal 145. 13. Thy Kingdom O Lord is an everlasting Kingdom and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations So Jer. 10. 7 Dan. 4. 34. and 6. 16. c. And here is a large field field of amplification upon the grounds of Gods right to this Kingdom as his Creating all things Rev. 4. 11 Substentation Hebr. 1. 3. Providence and provision for all his creatures Psal 145. 16. and especially his
prayed for For shame never plead for the repetition of this pattern of prayer while the world may read in your lives a visible contradiction to each Petition in it 'T is worse then a Judas kiss thus to deal with Christ to pray that his Kingdom may come and yet to doe our utmost to oppose it either leave praying or begin to practise up to what you pray for in this Petition else you doe but in effect pray for your owne damnation This Kingdom will come in justice and Terror to all its opposers So much to this Petition CHAP. VI. III. PETITION Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven THis is the third and last of those Petitions that do more immediately respect God it is very fitly connected to the former for having prayed for the coming of his Kingdom that is that wee may be brought under his Government and become his subjects 't is fit that his will not ours should be done Having acknowledg'd him supream Monarch of the world and that all subjection is due to him wee are very fitly taught to pray that hee will so bend and bow our hearts and bring us into compliance with his will that wee may yield him cheer-full obedience as subjects not as slaves and that wee may be a willing people in the day of his power Psal 110. 3. In this Petition you have 1. The matter of it that Gods will may be done 2. The manner how wee are to doe it or to endeavour and this is as it is in Heaven For explication Explic. 1. Will The will of God to our capacity is â—â—veâ—sly distinguished it would be but mis spent time to trouble you with them one distinction is sufficient to our purpose and that is this The will of God is either his Decretive Will called his Will of Purpose Or 2. His preceptive Will or Will of Precept There is ground enough for such a distinction though not in the Will or effence of God which is purely simple and uncompounded yet in the wayes by which God declares and executes his Will Briefly 't is easy to conceive the difference betwixt what God will doe that 's his Will of Purpose and what hee commands and requires us to do That 's his Will of Precept by the former God determines all events and futurities and governs those things which to us are most contingent by the latter hee determines mans Duty and what wee are to do Of the former you may read Psal 136. 6 11. Eph. 1. 5. To this wee are taught submission Jam. 4. 15. and 1 Pet. 3. 17. By this hee orders times and seasons Act. 1. 17. and disposes chances and contingencies Prov. 27. 1. By this hee permits and over rules many actions of men Of the latter read Mich. 6. 8. Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee The word declares it both in the precepts what wee are to doe and in the promises what wee are to beleeve 'T is not necessary to say more Only let us inquire Quest Which of these or whether both be not here meant for Answer to which Query It is unquestionable that the Will of Precept is here meant the very words clear it for What is meant by his Will being done on Earth c. but that it be done by men more especially who are the Inhabitants of the earth and What will is it but that which God hath given them in precept The only dâ—ffiâ—ulty is about the Will of Purpose whether it be at all included in this Petition and if at all how far Whether in the whole latitude and extent of it or only in part The Reason of the difficulty lies here Partly because the Purposes of God are hidden to us wee know not what shall be de Eventâ— and therefore how can wee pray concerning that which depends on the secret and unknown Purpose of God partly because the permission of many wickednesses and enormities of men comes within this will of purpose such as the betraying and murthering of Christ Act. 4. 28. Gods hand and Counsel had before determined it Now none will say that had wee lived before Christ and understood the Propheâ—ies concerning Judas his betraying Christ c. wee should have prayed for these â—hings so that the question seem's to carry some difficulty in it I find some quite â—xcluding Gods purposes onâ— of our prayers One quotes Cyprian speaking thus Nâ—n 〈◊〉 oramus ut faciat Deus quid vult facere 〈◊〉 ut nos possimus facere quid vult à nobis 〈◊〉 Wee pray not here that God would doe what hee willeth to doe but that wee may be able to doe what hee willeth â—s to doe Notwithstanding which and â—ome other things that might be urged I conceive that the Will of Purpose is neither wholly included in this Petition nor wholly â—xcluded out of it for though much of it â—e hidden yet something of it is revealed â—nd that by way of gracious promises which â—ertainly may be pleaded in prayer And â—hough it take in the permission and orderâ—ng of the vilest acts of men which wee are â—o be so far from praying for as that wee â—hould abominate them yet it takes in â—ther things unquestionably lawfull to be â—rayed for so far and in such a way as â—hey are revealed to us The case is so plain forbear Instances more will be said to this when wee come to Application 2. Be done i. e. not only intended â—urposed endeavoured so that wee are here â—ught to pray that wee may not only proâ—â—ss and pretend obedience as those Jer. 42. â— 6. or as that Son Matth. 21. 30. who said I goe Sir but went not but that wee may actually and throughly perform his will that he will work in us to will and to doe of his own good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. that wee may not deceive our owne souls that wee may not be forgetfull hearers but doers of his will Jam. 1. 23. 26. That it may be done by us though our corruptions be never so opposite and upon us though flesh and blood think it never so grievous and we cheerfully yield obedience to the one and submission to the other 3. On earth as in Heaven that is by us and others on earth as by the Angels in heaven so that hereby wee are taught â—â— what heighth we should endeavour and pray for obediential grace not any degree Weâ— should not content our selves to bungle 〈◊〉 a duty but to be exact and exquisite in it that wee may do the will of God with thâ— same readiness sincerity zeal constancy c. as the Angels Of this more particularly in the application Only to take away a scruple Object To what purpose is it to pray soâ— this degree of obediential grace since wâ— know it unattainable Are we not clog'â— with corruption and in many things 〈◊〉 all what hope then to have this Petitioâ— granted or to
optum accommodatum est That which is accommodated to the sustentation of nature c. This day It hath been supposed by some that two distinct things are asked in this Petition viz. 1. Life it self in those words This day 2. The things of this life our dayly bread though I will not deny the Truth of the thing viz. that life as well as the things of this life is asked yet I see no reason so to parcell the words and hee that looks into the Greek Text will easily see that it cannot bee for they run in this order Give us our dayly or necessary bread this day i. e. for this day so that it is as I have hinted a limitation of this Petition as to the time for which wee ask it Our Bread is called ours not that God owes it us but because by his bounty it is appointed and destinated for us besides Our that is that which wee come by in a way of industry or at least in a lawfull way according to that 2 Thess 3. 12. eat their Owne bread i. e. gotten by their lawfull labour and diligence So that this gives us a hint of that law Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face c. Give us This imports what is hinted before that all our labour can neither procure us bread nor make it or any other creature wholsome and â—oâ—rishing to us without Gods blessing That neither the earth can yield nor money buy nor friends bestow it without Gods giving it us that which is sufficiently hinted Hos. 2. 21 22. I will hear q. d. If God be deaf to the creature it will be deaf to us More will be said to these things in the Application Doctr. 9. Necessaries for this life may and ought to be ask't of God but with due limitation Bread may be beg'd at heavens door but so that wee keep within the restrictions hinted in this Petition and here I shall briefly enquire 1. Why they are to be asked 2. With what limitations Quest 1. Why are temporall things or necessaries for this life to be sought by prayer A Reason or two shall sufficice Reas 1. That hereby wee may acknowledg that both the having and comfort in the having of outward things depends upon Gods bounty and blessing that we neither have any right and title to them without Gods leave nor can tast any sweetness or comfort in them without his love all our benefits are of Gods bounty of him as well as through him and for him are all things Rom. 11. 36. Hee is the giver of every good and perfect gift Jam. 1. 17. hee challengeth a propriety in all things Psal 50. 10. 13. This propriety wee ascribe to him by asking them of him 2. That wee may be both enabled and engaged to glorify him with and for them And so this as all the other Petitions hath the respect of a means to the first as its end 〈◊〉 Pâ—â—il 4. 17. Paul received their bounty not because bee desired a gift but hee desired fruit that might abound to their account So wee must desire these things not only or chiefly for our want of them but that wee may have occasion thereby to give God the glory of them indeed God allows us to ask for the supply of nature's necessities but religion and ingenuity should teach us to propose a higher end than that in our asking and if wee must eat and drink then wee must ask what wee eat and drink for the glory of God 1 Cor. 10 31. Quest 2. What are the limitations with when wee must ask outward things These are partly hinted in the very Petition yet give mee leave more particularly to single them out It is therefore required 1. That wee ask them only so far as they may be subordinate to the things beg'd in the former Petitions this I gather from the order of this Petition So that the advancement of Gods glory the coming of his Kingdom the doing of his will must be out square and measure in desiring and asking these things This condition should be alwayes implyed and occasionally expressed in our prayers for Outwards This is the sense of Agur's prayer Prov. 30. 8 9. as if hee should say Lord proportion my outward estate in such a measure as may render mee more prompt and ready to glorify thee and obey thy Commands 2. That wee ask them in few words Christ hath taught brevity both in that hee comprized them all in one Petition and reduced them all to one word viz. Bread intimating to us that wee should not be so particular in them as in spiritualls As to heavenly things the more particular the better but in these temporal we should not extend our prayers beyond those few necessaries here implied under one word bread and by the Apostle in two words food and rayment 1 Tim. 6. 8. However if our necessities or afflictions be such as may draw out larger prayers or complaints yet wee must keep our affections within their due limits so much this Petition teaches 3. That they be not more than necessaries we aske 'T is bread not dainties not varieties not superfluities wee are taught to ask Bread being of all externals most necessary and the most common and ordinary food But here wee may consider a twofold necessity or measure of necessaries 1. As to our Being and to the very support of our life so the measure is alike to all that is so much as may satisfy nature or so much as may conveniently nourish us signified by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. As to our condition and the Station wherein God hath set us and so that which may be superâ—â—uous to one may be but necessary for another as to a publick person a Magistrate or one upon whom many have dependance more may be necessary both as to the maintaining of his dependants and himself according to that state or condition wherein God hath set him Only his wee must beware whatever our condition be that wee neither through wastfulness make nor through insatiableness or wantonness esteem that to be necessary which indeed is not 4. That wee ask them not peremptorily but with submission to the Will of God that 's the limitation in begging the prevention of evils or the bestowing of good things relating to this life Matth. 26. 39. 42. Nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt and it is intimated in the connex on of this with the former Petition If the Lord will must be the guide of all our designs and the limitation of all our desires Jam. 4. 15. 5. That wee ask them not with a sollicitous The Arab Version is corrupt Panem crastiaum da nobis bodie anxiety for the future but only the present We are limited to this day and Matth. 6. ult Take no thought for the morrow Not but that we may both desire and moderately endeavour after a competency for our life and conveniences for posterity 1